About That Overdue Letter
by AyndeRod
Summary: One letter from his sister and an overlong conversation with the Inquisitor about the bonds of family and somehow, Cullen finds himself halfway across Ferelden with Trevelyan at his side.


**About that overdue letter...**

_**9:41 Dragon**_

_"Dear brother," The letter starts as /_

_"I'm glad that your latest letter was longer than two sentences. Three was still not what I wished from you, but I understand your reticient and mulish behavior means that I might as well be asking you to go to the healer and have them pull a broken tooth._

_I, myself, have good tidings to give you. The upcoming Satinalia will be a busy one for me._

_I'm getting married._

_Laugh all you wish. Your thirty five year old sister is FINALLY marrying._

_I'm marrying a good man. Logan and Susi approve. This isn't his first marriage. I've known him for years, so please, don't worry._

_Yours is the first letter I've sent, so that it gets to you with plenty of time. I hope to hear from you soon (and hopefully more of a letter than "I've been doing well. My duties at Skyhold keep me busy, but I've taken time to play chess with a friend and the Inquisitor. Give my love."!) and await your next letter in anticipation._

_Love,_

_Mia."_

"Well, it's certainly not as impressive as the Hold in the Frostbacks, but this is it." Cullen said, waving a wide gesture at the hills and forestry in front of them. "The Arling of South Reach. I've only been here once, and it wasn't to visit my family. It will be interesting seeing what it's like up close."

"Why is that?" Trevelyan inquired, squinting at the terrain, trying to find evidence of civilization among these hills. Cullen gave a huff of laughter, and pointed at the sprawling city in front of them, right between river and highway. She had the grace to look embarrassed.

"Well as you can see, there's not much here. And a lot of what _is _here is formed up along trade routes." He explained, nudging his horse into a light trot. "South Reach is pretty equidistant to other Arlings in Ferelden. It makes a good pit stop between Denerim and Redcliffe, or Amaranthine and Gwaren."

Cullen cleared his throat, "Gwaren especially, as the Imperial Highway doesn't reach there - almost everything they put out either ships by sea, a very long voyage, or land and river through to South Reach, then out."

"Makes sense." Evelyn put in to keep him talking. Mostly, she was just enjoying watching Cullen's expressions. She could see his inner bookworm know-it-all creeping out from the dark corners her commander usually shoved it in, and nothing amused her more. Thinking for a moment, she laid the bait. "But why not the Southron Hills? I think you mentioned some passage or other when we were there before?"

"Well," He started, only to be interrupted by thundering gallops as three horses were racing towards them.

"I'M GOING TO WIN THIS ONE!" A voice shouted gleefully.

"OH NO YOU WON'T!" A screech came from the horse in second (were those children? Evelyn wondered).

There was a flash, and suddenly the other two horses reared - as did Cullen and Evelyns. Both clutched in and shielded their eyes.

"Ahh!"

"Aackk!"

"CHEATER!"

As their eyes cleared seconds later, a horse reached the ramp to the highway and almost barreled right into them. Evelyn saw blond pigtails as she turned the horse and crowed "I WON!".

Cullen cleared his throat deliberately. The girl froze and turned in her saddle, eyes wide.

She was a beautiful young lady of perhaps eighteen. The other two horse racers were gathering their own wits, one remounting and the other leading the horse by the reins up the ramp.

"Young lady," Cullen started, and Evelyn recognized the look of mulishness. "That was one of the most frivolous, dangerous uses of magic I have seen in months."

"I…I…" The girl stuttered.

One of the boys spoke up, dark hair and anxious eyes "Please, Ser, don't tell the Templars!"

"Yeah! It was all in good fun! Jochem and I both know that!" They defended her.

"Good fun or not, that could have gotten you killed!" He said, eyes hard. "You both were _thrown from your horse._ My companion and I almost were as well. You could have hit your head and died. Or rolled down the banks into the river."

The girl choked back a sob. Unfortunately for her, Cullen wasn't done. "Not to mention, you didn't just cheat using a flashbang. You used _magic._" He stressed the word, hazel eyes hard as she flinched. "One hitch in that spell and that little flash could have been a firebomb!"

Jochem let go of the reins of his horse and was at the girls side in a second. "Mali, come on, don't cry!" The other boy was facing Cullen with angry eyes.

Evelyn decided to nip this in the bud, and put on her best commanding face. "You boys are going home." Those angry eyes were on her now. "Yes, you are." She cut them off. "You might be the injured party, but what this girl did was foolish."

Cullen caught on to her line of thinking. "You will listen and go. We are going to speak with this girls parents."

Three heads snapped. Parents! Almost as bad as the Circle! But… it wasn't straight to the Circle, so…

A whispered conversation later, a chorus of "I'll be fine's" and the boys and all three horses were gone. Evelyn turned to the girl, "So your name is Mali?"

"No…" She said in a quiet voice, and cleared her throat at the look Cullen was giving her. "Amalia."

"Alright then, Amalia." Evelyn said, dismounting and coming up to her. "Where are we going?" Drawing herself up, the girl led the way to her home.

—

As the girl led them through the sprawling streets, Evelyn tried to pry details from the girl and put her at ease. Her name really was Amalia. Jochem and Peter called her Mali. She'd known she was a mage for a long time. Cullen seemed surprised at this, and inquired about if she'd escaped from the Tower during the Rebellion, but she shook her head. Her grandfather had been a mage as well.

A while later, they came up to a large-ish house at the end of a row. Amalia led them to where they could leave their horses for the time being, and then drew a shuddering breath.

"I… my dad might not be home." Amalia said. Cullen and Evelyn exchanged a look.

"Your mother?" Cullen asked as delicately as he could.

"She died when I was young. I… there might be Aunty home. But Dad won't be for a while."

"Lead on." Evelyn said, giving her a little push. "This is important. We can wait."

Amalia let them into the house and removed her shoes and cardigan, then took a breath. "Miss Mia, I'm home! We have guests!" She called.

"_Mia..?_" Cullen muttered under his breath, but there was no time to process that as a woman stepped out from fruther in the house.

"Amalia dear what have I told you about-" Something clattered on the floor. Seconds later, Cullen was being accosted by a strange woman.

Evelyn took in the familiar dark bonde hair, the strong bone structure as she savored Cullen's shocked look.

Gathering his wits, he held her at arms length. She spoke first, grabbing his hands with a grin splitting her face, showing gapped teeth. "Cullen Stanton Rutherford! You actually came!"

"I… Mia…" He stuttered out. Evelyn decided to put him out of his misery.

"You must be Mia." Evelyn interjected, stepping up beside him. "I'm Evelyn. It took quite a bit of convincing to get him to come down here from Skyhold, even for something as big as your wedding."

Mia laughed, her honey eyes crinkling a little at the corners. For all her laughter, there was a distinct weighing look in her eyes as Mia gazed at Evelyn. "I'm surprised you actually suceeded! I was just expecting some gift that he had to get someone else to help pick it out, not for him to come in person!"

Cullen shifted his weight and Evelyn knew that red was creeping up his collar. The truth hurts, Commander.

Amalia had taken a step back during this time, an uncertain look on her face. Evelyn spun the conversation. "We actually didn't expect to see you quite yet, however."

"Oh?" Mia inquired, and her hands sliding down. She followed Evelyn's gaze to Amalia. "Mali dear?"

"Um. I…" The girl stuttered.

Cullen let out a sigh. "It can wait." He decided, giving her an out for the moment. Amalia gave him a surprised look - he had been _such _a hardass! "We'll have to bring it up with your father later." Cullen warned her. She shrunk down.

Intellegence sparked in Mia's eyes, Evelyn noted. They took in the girls riding gown, the way her hair was falling out of once perfect braids from the wind, and perhaps the smell. But Mia accepted that and moved on, filing it away for later.

Instead, Mia spoke up. "Amalia dear, why don't you go clean up." It wasn't a suggestion, and the girl took to the idea like fish in water, fleeing as if they were demons.

Shaking her head, Mia invited them further in. "You can leave your things here, if you'd like. I'm going to get some tea on."

Minutes later, they were all seated comfortably. Mia picked up the chatter.

"I'm glad you came, brother." She said, handing out a strong black tea and cream and setting down some finger food.

Cullen sighed, leaning back in the couch. "I almost didn't." He admitted, playing with the edge of his tea cup.

Mia turned to Evelyn then. "I'm guessing that you're the reason he did?"

"You would guess correctly." Evelyn stated. "In fact, he was in the middle of asking me," Here, Evelyn adjusted her voice to suit Cullen's manner of speech and pitched her tone lower. "'I just don't know! I haven't seen my sister in years and she's getting married! What do you get someone you haven't seen in years?'" Evelyn was surprisingly pitch perfect, and continued in her normal voice, lightly subdued. "….and I told him that in this case, perhaps the gift of ones self would be more meaningful."

Cullen reached out and rested his hand on her arm. Evelyn cleared her pained smile. "So here we are." She finished.

"Well I for one am glad." Mia said firmly. "Your last letter was barely three sentences."

"Yes, well," Cullen started.

Evelyn interrupted. "He's trying to be better about that."

Mia hmmed. "And yet, he's made no mention of _you._" She put out. As Evelyn cast an incredulous look at Cullen, she continued. "Not that I mind you being here, but I had no idea he was seeing anyone. And all he's ever really written about is work. Sky-whatever. The Inquisition. The Inquisitor."

A smile came on Mia's face. "I half expected to get a letter saying that he pledged himself mind body and soul to that woman in power. I'm glad he's so obviously besotted with you instead. It's hard for a Figurehead to make you happy."

Cullen cleared his throat and Evelyn looked away. "Yes, well…."

The awkward turn of topic was saved by Amalia appearing at the entrance. Her hair was slightly wet but much neater, and she was wearing a cute blue pinafore. "Miss Mia." Amalia said, her eyes on the guests.

Mia stood and was over there in a second, bringing her close to introduce them properly. "Amalia, dear, this is my brother, Cullen, and his companion Evelyn. Brother, this is Amalia, Matthias's daughter."

"Matthias?" Cullen inquired, taking in the girls features anew. "If it's the same Matthias from Honnleath… I knew your father, we weren't the closest growing up, he and our brother Logan were the ones tied at the hip and all, but I looked up to him a great deal."

Amalia squeaked. "Yes… We're from Honnleath. We moved here when the sky exploded." She said, adding "Because it was so close… Honnleath was sacked. Father gave up. He could rebuild the town after darkspawn, but it was too dangerous to stay this time."

Cullen turned to his sister. "I didn't know that you were marrying Matthias. I thought that ship sailed a long time ago."

Mia's expression turned a little sour. "Thank you, Cullen, for your frank, _frank_ honesty." Mia turned to Evelyn and explained as they all sat again. "Matthias was our brother's friend growing up, same age as him. The Mayor's son. He married his sweetheart right away, broke my heart." She laughed.

"And Miss Mia and Ser Logan left Honnleath after the Darkspawn in the Blight." Amalia piped up, taking a swig of tea to clear her mouthful. "When Father decided it was time to go, he thought the best place would be South Reach, with friends."

"Only to find 'Miss Mia' still unmarried, I see." Evelyn teased. Mia's ears turned a little red.

"Well not for long, so it seems." Cullen couldn't resist adding in. Amalia let out a laugh, grinning at them all and finally relaxing a bit.

"Do any of you want to play chess? I want to play chess. We haven't played in years, Cullen." Mia bulldozed the conversation past her fiance, giving an arm wave to the side table by the window.

"Oh, certainly." Cullen said graciously, standing. "But you must know, I've been practicing."

"Hah! Practice doesn't beat natural talent, brother dear. And I am not exactly rusty myself." Mia bragged.

"I have to see this." Evelyn said aside, and uprooted herself to sit at couch by the fire, easier to watch.

They set up the game, and as Evelyn watched it turned from pithy comments to two stubborn people with matching intense looks.

"Who do you think will win?" Amalia whispered, blue eyes following their hands.

Evelyn watched for a moment longer. "Draw." She decided.

Evelyn was right, although it took a good ten minutes to get to that point. "Another game?" Cullen challenged. It was agreed upon.

This game was much dirtier, as all games between siblings turn out to be. Evelyn restrained herself from covering Amalia's ears as Mia hotly described what Cullen was doing 'with those Knights he's so fond of using!'

"Game." was declared in Cullen's favor, and he savored the look on Mia's face. Evelyn imprinted that scene in her memory, and a rematch was called.

Amalia shared a book with Evelyn, and at one point got up 'to start food because I don't think Miss Mia will remember the time.'

After the fourth game, another tie, Cullen turned to Evelyn. "Do you want a game, dear?"

"I'll take on the winner, thanks." Evelyn told him, and Cullen watched with interest as she shed her coat.

Mia noticed. "Aren't you hot, brother?" She asked, taking in the ridiculous feathered getup that he was wearing.

Cullen looked down, "What? No I'm perfectly fine."

"Even I'm sweating, Cullen." Evelyn interjected, a teasing smile coming to her lips at the conversational direction.

"No, no. I don't think it's much warm at all, really."

"You're cold?" Mia frowned, and went to stoke the fire.

Cullen looked pained, "It's. it's not that I'm cold. But neither am I hot, I promise."

Evelyn laughed, "Please, do stoke the fire a bit more. I'm a Marcher, and for all that I'm used to Skyhold being drafty it IS cold out."

The connotations of that sentence did _not_ go over Mia's head, and she turned to her brother, exasperated. "Really, Cullen? You lived in Kirkwall for what, ten years? You're Ferelden born and bred!"

Cullen's honey eyes sent Evelyn a betrayed look, "And, well, I'm used to armor! and being a certain temperature in armor at that. It just so happens that my body… likes having a certain weight on it as I'm a certain temperature."

"Bullshit." Mia claimed, taking her seat at the table once more.

"It is not!" Cullen defended hastily.

"Yes, yes it is." Evelyn murmured, and smiled a litte as Amalia giggled beside her. Truly, she was savoring this feeling, being with Cullen and his family.

It may not make up for her family, so Chantry oriented that she hadn't seen them since she left for the Circle tower, but at this point, Cullen _was_ her family.

I'm ending this for now. Because otherwise, this would get stupid long. Maybe eventually I'll continue it, but not now. This is already longer than I anticipated. It was just going to be Mia and Cullen shit talking eachother after meeting in person. But I was like, well, Inquisitor.

And then I started writing and Cullen totally would have kept rambling about the trade routes and bannorns and yeah. They NEVER would have reached South Reach.

So I needed an interruption. That interruption turned into Amalia, but how do you connect Amalia other than Honnleath? Well, her father of course!

If I continue it, I'd probably flesh it out. Maybe Cullen and Evelyn aren't actually together yet? So Mia is all "I am SO SORRY" about saying he's obviously besotted. But like they know eachother so well. And he brings her to his sister's wedding. and yeah. ideas. many many ideas.


End file.
